WILLMAR - The Willmar Area Community Foundation will honor recipients of four prestigious awards Thursday night during the 20th annual Award in Philanthropy Celebration.
The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Willmar Conference Center and includes a social hour, dinner, program and reception.
During its first 20 years, the Willmar Area Community Foundation has granted more than $7 million to more than 100 nonprofit organizations in Kandiyohi County.
Award in Philanthropy
This year the Award in Philanthropy will be presented to all 16 founding members of the Willmar Area Community Foundation Board of Directors who worked together to create the foundation to help meet community needs and foster local philanthropy.
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Celebrating a 20th anniversary would not have been possible without the "early foresight to imagine what a community foundation could do for Kandiyohi," reads a statement in the award program.
They original members include: Chairman Dean Anderson, vice chairman Ken Warner, John B. Anderson, Diane Buzzeo, Lorraine Browne, Wilton Croonquist, Steve Freese, Les Heitke, Greg Hilding, Phyllis Jacobson, Maynard Lawrence, Smitty Luschen, Mike McCain, John Nelson, Earl B. Olson and Kim Snyder.
The group is praised for being "inspired by love of place and optimism" that gave the foundation the direction it needed to grow into the future.
"It's about the power of the gifts themselves and what we used them for," said Dean Anderson. "We never did anything for publicity, it was always about what came from our hearts."
Marv Otto Award
The Marv Otto Award will be presented to the late Dorothy Timm Meili, who started playing piano in her hometown of Wood Lake and went on to study music at MacPhail College in Minneapolis and music therapy in Florida in the 1960s.
She helped initiate the music therapy program at the Faribault State Hospital, opened a music studio in Faribault in 1977, and in 2001 moved to Willmar, where she enjoyed the music and art culture.
With a life dedicated to teaching music and providing music therapy, she had equal dedication to leading a philanthropic life.
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She created the Dorothy Timm Meili Scholarship Fund at the Willmar Area Community Foundation to help high school seniors pursuing a post-secondary degree in music education, music performance or music therapy.
When she died early in 2018, she left a permanently endowed estate gift of $250,000 to the Willmar Area Community Foundation and several other transformational gifts to local charities.
A statement in the awards brochure says: "While Dorothy will be missed dearly by all those who knew her, her song will continue for generations through the generosity and legacy she leaves with us."
Innovative Impact Award
The Innovative Impact Award goes to Chad and Angie Koosman for their annual Celebrate the Light of the World Christmas display that raised $810,000 for the Salvation Army during the 10 years the family hosted the massive light and music show at their Willmar home.
The idea for the show grew out of Chad Koosman's sense of competition to raise more money for the Salvation Army, while also having fun.
The display has consumed hundreds of hours of labor for the Koosman family and has drawn thousands of spectators to their yard.
The Koosmans have handed over the show to Willmar Fests, which will be in charge of the display this year at Robbins Island in Willmar.
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The Koosmans said they hope that Celebrate the Light continues to grow while staying true to its roots and that even more community members will make it a part of their traditions.
Community Builder Award
Marcus Construction, of Willmar, will be given the Community Builder Award.
Started in 1956 by Carl Marcus, this third-generation company has expanded its nationwide presence without losing sight of its core values.
Known locally for its commercial division, the company also has an agricultural division that takes workers all over the country and into Canada.
Operated by CEO Ross Marcus and his son, Taylor Marcus, the company supports organizations and programs that benefit the communities in which they live and build, including local churches, schools, robotics and athletic teams, KCEO, members of the military, Salvation Army, Rice Health Foundation, Hope Pregnancy Center, Youth for Christ, Camp Maximum, Stingers Baseball, Willmar's Destination Playground and the Willmar Area Community Foundation.
Employee involvement in philanthropy is also encouraged through Marcus Construction's annual employee-driven gifting program, and many of the company's employees volunteer in numerous organizations.
Ross Marcus gives all the credit to his employees.
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"They raise their hands to help, to serve, to participate - whatever it may be - every chance that arises and I just really appreciate our people," he said. They are the ones who deserve this recognition."
